Di's former butler Paul Burrell could now face perjury inquiry

London, April 8 : Former royal butler Paul Burrell could now face a perjury investigation following the conclusion of the inquest into the deaths of Princess Diana and her lover Dodi al Fayed.

After returning to the US, Burrell was secretly recorded in a New York hotel admitting he had not told the "whole truth".

"I was very naughty, and I laid a couple of red herrings," he said.

Last month Burrell refused a request from the coroner to return to court to explain what he meant when he was caught on tape telling a friend he had included "red herrings" in his evidence.

A spokesman for the coroner said it was not within his sphere of activity to investigate perjury and had no plans to refer the matter.

Scotland Yard said any action it would take around allegations of perjury "would not be dealt with until conclusion of the inquests".

Now, with the verdicts finally returned, Burrell could yet find himself back under scrutiny, reports the Scotsman.

After hearing evidence for six months, the jury retired on Apr 2, and spent a total of nearly 24 hours deliberating five possible verdicts: unlawful killing by Mr Paul, the paparazzi or a combination of both; accidental death; or an open verdict.

On Apr 7, the jury concluded that Diana and her lover Dodi died because of gross negligence by both driver Henri Paul and the pursuing photographers.

The couple were killed alongside Paul when the Mercedes he was driving crashed in the Alma Tunnel in Paris on August 31, 1997.

ANI